Worry
by silentlight
Summary: During Byakuya’s fight with Kariya Jin. Rukia is left in the Kuchiki House, and she worries about him.


Fanfiction

Series: Bleach

Title: Worry

"Nii-sama…"

Rukia was worried. Under any other circumstances, she would not be worried at all, but this was special. Different. Unexpected. Therefore, a cause for worry.

She had been injured by that woman Bounto, because she could not let the child suffer from her incompetence in defeating the intruder. The image of the woman making her last attack was etched onto her mind, and she had been resigned to her fate, the fate that she would not be rescued by anyone, not even Ichigo, whom she knew was somewhere close.

Then the brush of something as light as a petal across the back of her hand brought one man to her mind: Onii-sama…

She had lost consciousness then, only to wake up hours later in her own room, on her own futon, the fourth division healers hovering over her as hens over their chick. They smiled reassuringly at her, saying Kuchiki-taichou had saved her in the nick of time, for if that final blow had been delivered, Kuchiki-san could not possibly be alive now, and how Kuchiki-taichou had remained by her side until he had made certain that her life was not in danger.

That seemed fairly … ludicrious to Rukia. Byakuya-nii-sama, worried about her? It's impossible, she told them, but they only smiled, and continued to tend to her wounds.

It seemed like eternity before the fourth division people had felt that she was well enough to be left alone, and that was only after she had threatened to tell Byakuya-nii-sama that they were bothering her rest before they would leave. She stayed where she was after the door had closed, waiting for the fourth division people to be far away enough before she made an attempt to rise.

That turned out to be a very bad idea almost immediately. The wound on her left arm reopened at the action, soaking the bandage thoroughly. Rukia clenched her teeth and ignored the pain, shoving herself into a seating position. That done, she rose shakily to her feet, and wobbled her way to the door, sliding it open just enough for her to pass through.

It was a relief to sink down onto the wooden veranda outside of her room, and Rukia collapsed against the square pillar with a tired sigh. It was much better being outside than couped up in her own room. For one, the gentle night breeze felt good against her skin. For another, she could see the moon.

The moon – it reminded her of Nii-sama, who seemed so cold and distant, and yet risked his life to save her, not only once, but twice now. Even though she'd worked so hard when she was in the thirteenth squad, she never seemed to be able to rise up in the officer ranks. She never seemed to be able to get into Nii-sama's good books, if he had any.

Yet… and yet he seemed to care for her at times, in a distant way. He had rescued her from Third Squad Captain's Shinsou, protecting her with his body despite the fact that he was already injured from his battle with Ichigo before. It had taken him a full two weeks to recover, two weeks which she spent in useless worry.

And yesterday…

He'd rescued her. Again. Rukia cursed under her breath. Were the Bounto really undefeatable? Rukia had injured Yoshi several times, and yet each time, the woman had merely sucked up spirit particles and even upped her strength and speed from it. At the end, she had no choice but to drop her sword, which she barely had enough strength to hold on to. But Byakuya-nii-sama came with the gust of the wind, turning the wheel of her fate, saving her from the jaws of death.

And now, Rukia could only sit here, on the veranda of the Kuchiki House which she and Nii-sama shared, and pray that Nii-sama was safe. She did not care if he won, only that he be safe.

"What are you doing out here in the cold?" came his voice, and Rukia spun around, only to see the man of her thoughts standing before her, his scarf and shinigami robes drenched in blood.

His blood.

"Nii-sama! You're all right! But – you're bleeding heavily! You must go to the fourth division –"

"I'm fine," he interrupted her, and then frowned. "You should be in bed."

"I'm almost fully recovered. I –" She attempted to rise, but a sharp jab of pain from her wound made tears rise in her eyes, and she fell back onto the floor.

"You have not recovered at all." He said it as a statement.

Rukia bit her lips. Of course not. She knew that she had not really recovered at all, even when she had insisted on being sent to the real world. Aizen had took something from her soul, leaving a hole in its place. That hole was never replaced, and she felt it glaringly every now and then, telling her, whispering to her that she was not complete, that she was not even a full soul.

Then his arms were around her, lifting her. Rukia looked questioningly at him, but he only said, "You should be in bed." He opened the door with a foot, and carried her inside, placing her with ease on her futon. He tucked the blankets about her with a gentleness that Rukia did not expect of her usually-cold brother.

"Nii-sama?"

"Sleep." He hesitated for a moment, but then placed a warm hand on her forehead. "Good night, Rukia."

As sleep crept over her, she murmured her reply. "Good night… nii-sama."


End file.
